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Chevrolet Continues Raising the Bar with 2013 Malibu & Malibu ECO

2013 Chevy Malibu Gets Fresh Makeover

As we shared in our First Look, the refreshed 2013 Chevy Malibu was officially revealed at the 2011 New York Auto Show as well as the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show last month. In addition to the unveiling of the new look, Chevy surprised crowds with the announcement of the 38 mile-per-gallon Malibu ECO model. Both models will be available in over 100 countries on six continents in early 2012.

Taking design influence from its Chevrolet brethren, namely the Equinox and Camaro, the new look of the Chevy Malibu improves upon its already sleek and sophisticated styling with refinement and a certain flare of sports car aggression. The new model receives a front end facelift, with a twin port grille and projector headlights reminiscent of a high-end luxury vehicle, as well as a much needed redesign of the rear end with Camaro inspired three-dimensional taillamps.

“The current Malibu has left an award-winning impression and changed the way people think about Chevrolet,” commented Susan Docherty, vice president of GMIO sales, marketing and aftersales. “This all-new Malibu delivers on the intangibles of today’s Malibu but gives customers even more: more style, fuel efficiency, content and features, craftsmanship, and dynamic capabilities rivaling high-end sedans.”, she added.

The new Chevy Malibu doesn’t simply differentiate from its predecessor visually. Built on General Motors Epsilon II architecture, the Malibu has a shorter wheelbase and is about 3 inches wider, giving it a stout, athletic stance. All models, except the ECO, are powered by a new 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 190 horsepower and is mated to a standard 6-speed automatic transaxle. The Malibu ECO comes powered by a direct-injection version of the current 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, with a six-speed automatic supplemented by the light-hybrid eAssist system which boasts an EPA-rated 26 MPG city and 38 MPG highway. A surprising fact is that while the redesigned Malibu has a sporty appearance, the current V6 motor will not be available.

The Camaro inspired styling doesn’t just apply to the exterior, the interior takes its design cues from it as well, with new “squircle” gauges and higher-end materials and detailing, providing a more premium cabin feel. The interior also receives four additional cubic feet of leg room despite the shorter wheel base. In regards to safety equipment, the 2013 Malibu will feature dual-stage driver & front passenger airbags, driver & front passenger pelvic/thorax side-impact airbags, roof rail airbags with rollover protection and OnStar, providing Automatic Crash Response, voice recognition technology, remote diagnostics, Stolen Vehicle Slowdown and six months of Turn-By-Turn Navigation. Rear park assist and a rearview camera system is also available with select models.

Pricing is yet to be determined, but logic suggests the MSRP should resemble the current 2011 models, with the base starting at around $22,000. Pricing for the ECO model will be announced closer to when it hits the salesfloor.